GNPC assesses Voltaian Basin 2D data

Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) is further assessing its data acquired from a 2D seismic survey of the Voltaian Basin, a process set to be completed at the end of 2019.

This further acquisition of 2D seismic data is to ensure that there is accurate data of potential oil findings, in order to reduce the chance of drilling dry wells.

In an interview with Goldstreet Business, the General Manager for Sustainability at GNPC, Dr. Kwame Amoah Baah-Nuakoh said, “we have reviewed that data we have, and still believe that, we need to go to the fields, increase the number of lines, as well as do some in-fills (that is making sure that the grids lines are a bit closer), to ensure that if we think we have found oil here, its more likely there is oil there.”

“So that we can reduce the chances of drilling dry wells when we begin drilling,” Baah-Nuakoh added.

In view of this, GNPC will perform a 3D seismic survey next year and consequently an exploration of the basin.

However, the results so far have been extraordinarily encouraging, presenting expectations that Ghana will sooner or later be able to develop major onshore oilfields.

The drilling of two conventional wells is scheduled for 2020. GNPC is also to use the acquired data to define structural and stratographical interpretation of the basin and identify drillable prospects to open up the area for block licensing.

It is strongly believed that data acquired and analyzed so far confirms the existence of a thick sedimentary cover of a six-kilometer-thick in the deepest sections. There are already indications of heavy oil, gas, bitumen and other hydrocarbons.

Ghana’s onshore Voltaian basin occupies about 40 percent of total landmass of Ghana, which is about 103,600 square kilometers.

Regulatory Framework

Government, through the Ministry of Energy and key partners in the oil and gas industry have begun working on a legislative framework to guide the development of onshore exploration activities in the sector.

This is in anticipation of the final completion of data processing by the 2D seismic survey of the Basin, which shows good prospects of oil and gas in commercial quantity.